L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Heel wins Super G in Val Gardena with Defago and Jaerbyn on the podium ... Paerson wins Super combined from Hosp and Suter ... Walchhofer retains King of the Hill in Downhill, Miller 2 and Osborne Paradis 3 ... Gut wins Super G in St Moritz from Suter and Fanchini

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleanor Roosevelt).

This tear the women's Overall is turning into an exciting contest: In the past we have had Janica Kostelic running away with it through dominating the Slalom, Anja Paerson storming away with the technical events while Renate Goetschl played catch up by winning points in the speed races.  This year, three technical specialists are gathering points across the board as well as winning big points in the technical races. 

While Marlies Schild had the home encouragement to snatch second in front of the Austrian crowd, Anja Paerson was knocked back to fourth with Janica Kostelic in third.  The surprise winner was Tanja Poutiainen from Finland.  Fresh from winning her first point in a Super G, the diminutive Finnish star, who trains in St Gallen, has taken the racing by storm over the last two seasons.  Since winning her first World Cup race in Levi, Finland, last season, she has maintained this confidence and form and is now back leading the overall as well as the Slalom World Cup. 

With three Austrians in the top six, the home crowd went away happy.  Sabine Egger and Elisabeth Goergl in sixth and fifth respectively made up for the disappointment of Niki Hosp going out on the second run after a disappointing, for her, first run.

Poutiainen won by a slim 0.03 seconds after Schild had set the fastest second run time to lay the pressure on the Finn.  Poutiainen was equal to the task and this deprived the Austrians of a double win on the return of the World Cup to Europe.

The girls now go to Val d'Isere next weekend for a double downhill that will see Chemmy Alcott back in action